Happily Ever After Rescue Team (Agents of H.E.A.R.T. #1)

In this first installment in a new illustrated chapter book series, readers will laugh aloud at the hilarious antics of Evie and her friends as they try to fend off a team of fairy-tale agents called H.E.A.R.T. Evie, who is white, has just moved to Lime Bay with her dad and stepmother to open their family diner. It's a big day as the Golden Coffee Cup Best Cafe Contest is underway, and winning the cup would help the diner become successful. Wanting to help, Evie accidentally makes a wish on a magical storybook, bringing three fairy-tale agents to life. Agent C (Cinderella, white), Agent R (Rapunzel, white), and Agent B (Beauty, brown) mean well with their magic, but only seem to make things worse for Evie and the diner. With friends Iris, who is white with red hair, and brown-skinned Zak, Evie just might be able to fix the mixed-up situation, and possibly get a puppy along the way. Black-and-white illustrations are included throughout; there are additional activities including recipes, craft instructions, and humorous lists. Chapters are long enough to give a full narrative, but short enough for beginning chapter book readers. Jokes and mischief help move things along as the story builds through every chapter. New characters are often introduced, and the plot is more developed than those of the usual early chapter book series. VERDICT Fans of Tracey West's "Dragonmasters" and Annie Barrows's "Ivy and Bean" will enjoy this new funny fantasy series.—Anna Taylor

"In this first installment in a new -illustrated chapter book series, readers will laugh aloud at the hilarious antics of Evie and her friends as they try to fend off a team of fairy-tale agents called H.E.A.R.T. " -School Library Journal, starred review